Eyewear lens interchange with magnetic latch

ABSTRACT

A lens interchange mechanism for an eyewear may include a magnetic latch operatively associated with the eyewire of the eyewear, such that the a portion of the eyewire can be released, with a free end separating from another portion of the eyewire thereby forming a gap in the eyewire for the removal and installation of a lens. The magnetic latch mechanism may be further configured for easy re-latching by the application of opposing forces on the first and second eyewire portions to cause the free end to re-engage with the magnetic latch without manual actuation of the latch.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/802,309 filed Feb. 26, 2020, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/812,139 filed Feb. 28, 2019, which bothapplications are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety,for any purpose.

BACKGROUND

Eyewear with interchangeable lenses have been developed to allow a userto easily interchange the lens(es) of the eyewear, such as for aesthetic(e.g., by selecting between differently colored or tinted lenses) and/orfunctional reasons (e.g., to respond to different light conditions).Eyewear with interchangeable lenses typically include a mechanism toallow the user to remove the currently installed lens and replace itwith another lens. In some cases, the lens may be specificallyconfigured for use with a specific eyewear frame, such as by havingengagement features (e.g., slots, apertures, or other) configured toengage cooperating engagement features on the frame. This can increasethe cost for manufacturing, as the lenses may need to be specificallytailored for the given frame. In other cases, such as when asubstantially encircling eyewire retains the lens in place without theneed for engagement features on the lens, the lens interchange may bemore cumbersome, in some cases requiring additional tools for decouplingand reassembling the lens to the eyewire. Thus, designers andmanufacturers of eyewear continue to seek improvements thereto, e.g., toimprove the user experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This description will be more fully understood with reference to thefollowing figures in which components may not be drawn to scale, whichare presented as various embodiments of the eyewear and eyewearcomponents described herein and should not be construed as a completedepiction of the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an eyewear with a lens interchange systemin accordance with some examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the eyewear in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the eyewear in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4A is another isometric view of the eyewear of FIG. 1 with at leastone of the temples in a partially folded position to release the latchmechanism.

FIG. 4B is another isometric similar to the view in FIG. 4A but with theseparation between the eyewire portions enlarged to facilitate removalof the lens.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the eyewear a portion of theeyewear in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 6 is another partial view of a portion of the eyewear in FIG. 4Ashowing the latch door exploded away from the eyewear frame toillustrate components thereof.

FIG. 7 is yet another isometric view of the eyewear in FIG. 4Aillustrating a re-latching of the eyewire.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the eyewear taken atline 8A-8A in FIG. 1 and showing components of the latch mechanism.

FIG. 8B is another cross-sectional view of a portion of the eyeweartaken at line 8B-8B in FIG. 2 and showing components of the latchmechanism.

FIG. 8C is another cross-sectional view of a portion of the eyeweartaken at line 8C-8C in FIG. 2 and showing components of the latchmechanism.

FIG. 9 is another isometric view of an eyewear according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the eyewear in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the eyewear in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 12 is a left side view of the eyewear in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 13 is a right side view of the eyewear in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 14 is a top view the eyewear in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the eyewear in FIG. 9 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Examples of eyewear with removable lenses are described. In someexamples, the eyewear may comprise a lens interchange system with amagnetic latch. The lens interchange system may include a first magneticportion fixed to the frame and a second magnetic portion pivotallycoupled to the frame such that the first and second magnetic portionsare operable to latch and release a portion of the lens frame to enablethe interchange of a lens therein, as described further below. Eyewearaccording to the present application may be configured as sunglasses orother type of protective eyewear (e.g., for protection in sports,industrial settings, and/or providing ballistic protection), asprescription eyewear or a combination thereof. For example, in someinstances, the lens(es) of the eyewear may be configured to provide eyeprotection (e.g., when engaging in a sport and/or industry), aprescription, and may be further provided with a tint, mirror coating,UV protection, and/or any other suitable compound or coating, e.g., forsun protection and/or aesthetics.

FIGS. 1-8 show views of an eyewear according to the present disclosure.The eyewear 100 in FIGS. 1-8 includes a frame 110 and two lenses 113. Inthis particular example, the eyewear 100 is of a dual-lens design andthus left and right lens components are provided for placement in frontof the left and right eye, respectively, of the user. In other examples,the eyewear may be of the unitary lens configuration where a unitarylens or shield extends across the field of view, or at least a portionthereof, of both of the user's eyes. Additionally and optionally, thelens assembly, whether of a unitary or dual-lens configuration, mayinclude multiple (e.g., two) individual lenses (e.g., an inner and outerlenses spaced apart from one another by an interstitial lens space).Each individual lens may have any suitable properties for a givenapplication. For example, the lens 113 may be shaped or otherwiseconfigured to provide power correction. The lens 113 may include a color(or tint), polarization, mirror coating, anti-reflective, anti-scratch,anti-shatter, and any other suitable treatment as may be appropriate fora given application. In some examples. In examples, the lens may be madefrom polycarbonate (PC), acrylic, or other suitable material(s) toprovide the appropriate optical qualities (e.g., optical clarity, powercorrection, if any) and meet the other functional requirements of thelens (e.g., ballistic protection, sun protection, etc.). The frame 110or components thereof may be formed of any suitable material andprocess. The frame 110 or components thereof may be made from aninjection moldable plastic, such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(ABS), an ABS/PC blend, High Density Polyethylene (HDPA), ThermoplasticPolyester Resin (PET), nylon, and others. The frame 110 or componentsthereof may be stamped, die-cut, or produced via a lamination process(e.g., from sheets of cellulose acetate). In yet other examples, theframe 110 or components thereof may be formed using any other suitableforming process or combinations thereof.

The frame 110 includes lens frame or eyewire 114, which is configured toretain the one or more lenses 113 in front of the user's eyes when theeyewear 100 is worn by the user. In the example in FIGS. 1-8 , theeyewire 114 includes first and second individual lens retentionportions, each defining a respective lens opening 115, for each of thelenses 113. In other examples, a common or shared lens retention portionmay retain a single or each of the pair of lenses in place.

As shown e.g., in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the lens retention portion(s) of theeyewire 114 may include lens retention feature(s). For example, a groove116 may be formed on the lens opening side of the eyewire 114. Thegroove may extend along the full perimeter of the lens opening 115, or aportion thereof, and may be sized to receive at least a portion of theperimeter of the lens 113. When the lens 113 is at least partiallycaptured by the eyewire (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4A), at least a portionof the perimeter of the lens 113 may be seated in the groove 116.

The eyewire 114 may include a first eyewire portion 122, in this case anupper eyewire 122, and a second eyewire portion 124, in this case alower eyewire 124. The first and second eyewire portions 122 and 124 areoperatively coupled to one another to define the first and second lensretention portions for retaining the lens or lenses 113 within the lensopening 115 when the eyewire 114 is in the closed configuration. Theeyewire 114 is configured to define at least one gap 119 (see e.g., FIG.4A) between portions of the eyewire 114 (e.g., between the upper andlower eyewires 122 and 124) which is enlargeable, such as during normaloperation of the latch mechanism described herein (see e.g., FIGS. 4Aand 4B), to enable removal and/or replacement of one or both of thelenses 113. During normal use, when the latch mechanism is released(unlatched or unlocked), the portions of the eyewear 114 (e.g., theupper and lower eyewires 122 and 124) may be spreadable to enlarge thegap 119 and enable removal and/or insertion of a lens 113 within thelens opening 115. The eyewire 114 may be closed (e.g., re-latched) toreduce or substantially eliminate the gap 119 between the first andsecond eyewire portions 122 and 124, e.g., for retaining the one or morelenses 113 therebetween. The separation in the eyewire that defines thegap 119 may be provided at a location different from the hinge, suchthat separating of the first eyewire portion 122 from the second eyewireportion 124, e.g., to enlarge the gap 119, does not affect the operationof the hinge(s) 117 between the eyewire and the temple(s) 112. Operationof the eyewire closure mechanism (also referred to as latch mechanism)does not involve, cause or require disassembly (e.g., the removal ofcomponent(s)) of the hinge 117, whereby the hinge(s) 117 remainoperational (e.g., for folding and unfolding the temples of the eyewear)in any (e.g., open or unlatched and closed or latched) state of theclosure mechanism.

The eyewire 114 may be operatively associated with at least one eyewireclosure mechanism (also referred to as latch mechanism), which in thisexample is implemented as a magnetic latch 200. The magnetic latch 200is configured to latch or retain the eyewire 114 in the closedconfiguration in which the eyewire 114 is closed (e.g., the gap 119 issubstantially reduced or eliminated). The magnetic latch 200 is furtherconfigured to enable easy re-opening of the eyewire 114 for easy andquick lens interchange (e.g., without the use of any specializedequipment or tools). The closure mechanism (e.g., magnetic latch 200) ofthe example in FIG. 1 is provided proximate to the temple 112 of theeyewear 100, allowing for a gap 119 to be formed and closed at alocation near the temple, without affecting the proper operation of thetemple hinge. In other examples, a gap in the eyewire 114 andcorresponding a closure mechanism may be located elsewhere, such as at adifferent suitable location along the perimeter of the eyewire 114. Forexample, the free end of the eyewire portion that separates may belocated above the proximal end of the magnetic latch 200 and in somesuch embodiments, the first and second portions may instead be describedas a central, or proximal, eyewire portion and an external, or distal,eyewire portion.

In some embodiments, the eyewear 100 may include a pair of temples 112,which in the example in FIG. 1 are pivotally coupled to the eyewire 114.In other examples, the temples may be fixed to the eyewire or theeyewear may not include temples but may instead use a differentmechanism for positioning and securing the eyewire and lens(es) in frontof the user's eyes (e.g., using a strap). The temples 112 may have anysuitable shape and/or configuration for resting and/or securing theeyewear to the user. For example, the temples 112 may be implemented asgenerally elongate stem portions, which may, in some cases, curvedownward (to fit around a user's ears) and/or curve inwardly toward oneanother (to warp around the user's head). In some examples, the eyewear100 may include fit enhancement features, such as temple fit features118. The temple fit features may include, for example, rubberized templepads or other suitable treatment on at least a portion of the temple toimprove the fit, comfort, and traction between the temples and user'shead, and/or for aesthetics. The eyewear 100 may include fit enhancementfeatures, such as nose recess fit features 129, which may beimplemented, e.g., a fixed or removable rubberized and/or adjustablenose pads for improving the fit, comfort, and/or traction of the eyewearat the nose recess 128, and/or for aesthetics.

As further illustrated in FIG. 2 , each of the temples 112 of theeyewear 100 is pivotally coupled to the eyewire 114 via a respectivetemple hinge 117 such that each of the temples 112 is foldable betweenan as-worn position 101-1 and a storage position 101-2. The temples 112may be foldable, during normal use such as during operation of themagnetic latch 200, to any number of intermediate positions between theas-worn position 101-1 and storage position 101-2 including to one ormore partially folded positions (e.g., latch release position 101-3).The temple hinge 117 may include one or more detents configured toautomatically position and hold, by a slight resistance to rotation ofthe hinge, the temples at any of the rotational positions of the temple.For example, the temple hinge 117 may be configured to detent the templeto the unfolded (or as-worn) position, to a fully folded (or storage)position, and to one or more partially folded positions such as to alatch release position. The latter may improve the ease with which theuser is able to provide the temple in the latch release position and mayfurther facilitate holding the temple in that position as the usermanipulates the latch. The detents may be implemented using any suitablemechanism, such as using over-center structures (e.g., a bi- ortri-stability mechanism) operatively arranged around the rotationalrange of the hinge, or other suitable structures configured to resistthe rotation of the temple hinge or bias the hinge to a particularrotational position. In some examples, the unfolded and fully foldedpositions may be achieved by hard stops, which limit the rotation of thetemple hinge to between the unfolded and fully folded position. In someexamples, a detent, such as a detent to a partially folded position, maybe implemented by a flattened surface between two over-center positions.For example, and referring to FIG. 8A, instead of using a substantiallycylindrical hinge barrel, the temple hinge knuckle 138 may include aflattened portion 139 between two radially spaced-apart over centerpoints around the perimeter of the hinge knuckle 138. Each over centerpoint, when interacting with the opposing surface 211 of the frame, mayfunction as an unstable point or location on the hinge knuckle, urgingthe temple 112 into a rotational position on either side of the unstablepoint. When the temple 112 is folded back to a position in which theflattened portion 139 abuts the opposing surface 211, the flattenedportion 139 may provide a rotationally stable position of the temple 112and thus function as a detent in the rotation of the temple 112. Theunfolded (or as-worn) and fully folded (or storage) position detents maybe located on the opposite sides of the respective over-center pointfrom the intermediate detent provided by the flattened portion.

With further reference now to FIGS. 3-6 , the magnetic latch 200includes a first magnetic portion 210, which is fixed to the frame 110and may thus be also referred to herein as frame magnetic portion 210.In this example, the first magnetic portion 210 is fixed to the uppereyewire 122. By fixed, it is implied that the frame magnetic portion 210is rigidly attached to the upper eyewire 122, e.g., by beingmonolithically or integrally formed with the upper eyewire 122 orotherwise rigidly attached by any suitable means such as mechanicalfasteners, glue or others that are currently known or later developed.Depending on the desired overall shape of the eyewear 100, the firstmagnetic portion 210 may be part of or fixed to a portion of the frame110 that extends at an angle to the arc direction of the lens frame 110,as in the example in FIG. 2 . In other examples, the frame and templesmay define a generally arcuate shape and the first magnetic portion 210may be part of or fixed to a portion of the frame 110 that extendssubstantially along the arc of the lens frame.

The magnetic latch 200 further includes a second magnetic portion 220pivotally coupled to the frame 110. Each of the first and secondmagnetic portions 210 and 220, respectively, includes a respectivemagnetic element 214 and 224. The first and second magnetic elements 214and 224 may be positioned on the first and second magnetic portions 210and 220, respectively, to attract one another and urge the secondmagnetic portion 220 toward the first magnetic portion 210 and thustoward the closed position of the latch 200. In some embodiments, thefirst and second magnetic elements 214 and 224 may be configured tocontact when the latch 200 is closed. In other embodiments, the firstand second magnetic elements 214 and 224 may be differently arranged,e.g., one or both may be embedded and/or below the facing surfaces ofthe first and second magnetic portions such that they do not contact oneanother as long as the magnetic elements 214 and 224 are configured toprovide sufficient magnetic attraction to close the latch 200. In yetother embodiments, one or both of the magnetic elements 214 and 224 maybe exposed but spaced apart from one another in the closed position suchthat the two magnetic elements do not touch, when the latch is closed.The latter arrangement may avoid marring of the exposed surface of themagnetic elements and/or reduce the risk of the magnetic elementsbecoming dislodges through repeated contact. Any suitable arrangement ofthe first and second magnetic elements, including using a plurality ofmagnetic elements for each of the magnetic elements 214 and 224, toprovide sufficient magnetic attraction to close the latch 200 may beused.

The first magnetic element 214 is fixed to the first magnetic portion210. For example, the first magnetic portion 210 may include a firstmagnet seat 215, which is sized to receive the first magnetic element214 therein. The magnet seat 215 may be configured such that the firstmagnetic element 214 is substantially flush with the surface of thefirst magnetic portion 210 that faces the second magnetic portion 220.In other examples, the first magnetic element 214 may be arranged toprotrude above the facing surface of the first magnetic portion 210. Inyet other examples, the first magnetic element 214 may be embedded inthe first magnetic portion 210 such that the first magnetic element isnot exposed. Any other suitable arrangement of the first magneticelement 214 on the first magnetic portion 210 that enables the firstmagnetic element 214 to attract the second magnetic portion 220 may beused in other examples.

The magnetic elements 214 and 224 may be implemented using magnets(e.g., permanent magnets such as neodymium magnets) for both the firstand second magnetic elements 214 and 224, or they may be implementedusing a pairing of one or more magnets associated with either the firstor second magnetic portion and a ferromagnetic material (e.g., steel orother ferromagnetic metal) on the other one of the two magneticportions. The use of two magnets in some embodiments may provideadditional centering function (e.g., resulting from the magnets' naturaltendency to axially align their respective fields to one another), whichmay enhance the alignment and a tighter closure or fit of the secondmagnetic portion 220 to the frame 110. In some embodiments, thealignment and tighter fit may be further enhanced by contouring featuresof the magnetic latch 200. For example, the first magnetic portion 210may include a depression 248 and the first magnet seat 215 may belocated in the depression 248, as shown also in FIG. 8C. The secondmagnetic portion 220 may be provided with a mound 231, which defines theseat for the second magnetic element 224. The depression 248 may besized for a cooperating fit with the mount 231 and be thereforeconfigured to receive the mound 231, at least partially, therein. Thedepression 248 may abut surfaces of the mound 231 around at least aportion of the perimeter of the mound 231 thereby aiding in thepositioning of the mound 231, and thus the second magnetic portion 220,with respect to the frame 110 when the latch 220 is closed.

The second magnetic portion 220 may be implemented as a pivotalcomponent (referred to as latch door 222 in the context of the presentexample), which carries the second magnetic element 224. The latch door222 is pivotally coupled to the frame 110 such that the latch door 220can be opened responsive to the application of an actuation force (FA),which may be manually applied, and closed (e.g., automatically)responsive to the magnetic attraction between the first and secondmagnetic portions 210 and 220. When the eyewear is in the as-wornconfiguration, the latch door 222 is maintained in the closed positionas result of the magnetic attraction between the first and secondmagnetic portions 210 and 220. Additionally and optionally, when theeyewear is in the as-worn configuration, the latch door 222 may belocked into the closed position by a lock out mechanism, describedfurther below.

In some embodiments, as in the example in FIG. 3 , the pivot axis of thelatch door 220 may coincide with the temple hinge axis X. Using a commonpivot axis between the latch door and the hinge may provide a morecompact design of the lens interchange mechanism. It is contemplatedhowever, that in other embodiments, the temples and latch door may pivotat different axes while still provide the features and functionalitydescribed herein. For example, the pivot axis for the latch door may besubstantially parallel to the hinge axis X by offset from the hinge axisX, e.g., toward the front side of the eyewear 100. In other examples,the two axes may be spaced apart and be non-parallel, non-intersectingaxes (e.g., skew axes). In yet other example, the latch door may pivotabout an axis that is oriented substantially horizontally such that thelatch door swings up and down to open and close. Any other suitablearrangement of the pivotal component of the second magnetic portion 220may be used as long as the first and second magnetic portions 210 and220, respectively, are configured to magnetically attract one anothersuch that the latch door 222 can be retained in a closed position as aresult of the magnetic attraction between the first and second magneticportions.

The magnetic latch 200 includes a latch cavity 250 configured to receivea latch catch 126. The latch cavity 250 may be defined in part by thefirst and second magnetic portions 210 and 220, respectively. Forexample, the latch cavity 250 may be provided in part by a recess 252(see FIG. 5 ) formed in one of the first magnetic portion 210, e.g.,below the magnet seat 215, and further in part by the latch door 222. Inother examples, the recess 252 may instead be located on the latch door222. The cavity 250 may be sized and shaped to receive the latch catch126.

The latch catch 126 and latch door 222 are configured to engage oneanother to retain the eyewire 114 in the closed position when the lowereyewire 124 is in the up position (with the latch catch 126 insertedinto the cavity 250, as shown in FIG. 6 ) and the latch door 222 isclosed. To that end, the latch catch 126 and latch door 222 may includecooperating features (e.g., interlocking features), which mechanicallyretain the latch catch 126 to the latch door 222 thereby mechanicallylocking the lower eyewire 124 in the closed position when both the lowereyewire 124 is provided in the up position and the magnetic latch 200 isclosed. For example, the latch catch 126 and the latch door 222 mayinclude opposing ledges 239 and 249, respectively, which abut oneanother thereby mechanically preventing removal of the latch catch 126from the cavity 250 when the latch door 222 is closed. The ledge 239 maybe provided by a downward facing wall on the latch catch 126, while theledge 249 may be provided by an upward facing wall on the latch door222. The terms upward and downward as used herein assume the eyewear isoriented as would be worn by the user and are thus arbitrary, usedsolely for the purpose of illustrating that the two walls or ledges facein opposite direction, and do not otherwise limit the embodiments of theinvention. The upward facing wall providing the ledge 249 may be part ofa structure (e.g., protrusion 226) extending from the latch door 222toward the first magnetic portion 210. The protrusion 226 may be spacedapart from the mound 231 by a cavity 235 sized to accommodate the wedge243 of the latch catch 126. In some examples, the cavity 235 may have asubstantially similar cross-sectional geometry as the wedge 243 for acooperating fit therewith. In other examples, the cavity 235 may looselyaccommodate the wedge, with a void remaining between the wedge 243 andthe walls of the cavity 235, as shown in FIG. 8C. The ledge 239 may beprovided by one of the opposing walls of a channel or slot 246 formed inthe latch catch 126 and configured to receive the protrusion 226.

In use, removal and installation of a lens may be easily achieved byoperation of the closure mechanism (e.g., magnetic latch 200) of thepresent disclosure without the use of any specialized equipment ortools. To remove the lens 113, the temple 112 may be folded, at leastpartially, towards the storage position. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the temple may be provided into the latch release position 101-3 toexpose the lever portion 228 of the latch door 222. In some embodiments,when the temple 112 is so folded into a latch release position, rotationof the temple 112 out of that position may be resisted by a temple hingedetent such that the user need not hold the temple 112 into the latchrelease position while operating the latch mechanism. An actuation forceFA may be applied by the user to the now exposed lever portion 228 ofthe latch door 222, as shown in FIG. 2 . The lever portion 228 extendsin an opposite direction from the pivot or fulcrum of the latch door 222than the portion of the latch door, which supports the second magneticelement 224. Thus, the application of an actuation force to the leverportion 228 causes the latch door to pivot about its fulcrum causing thefirst and second magnetic portions 210 and 220 to separate against themagnetic attraction between the first and second magnetic elements 214and 224 thereby providing the latch 200 into the open configuration(e.g., see FIG. 4A), which consequently causes the eyewire to open(i.e., the free end of the lower eyewire, which carries the latch catchdecouples or separates from the upper eyewire).

The eyewire 114 may be preloaded to spring to a partially openconfiguration (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4A) when the latch is released. Insome examples, the eyewire 114, or at least a portion thereof, may beformed of a material that returns to a nominal unloaded state. Forexample, the eyewire 114 or a portion thereof (e.g., the lower eyewire124) may be formed of a plastic material into the shape corresponding tothe partially open configuration of the eyewire, such that when no forceis being applied to the lower eyewire (e.g., to hold it closed via thelatch), the lower eyewire may naturally return to the partially openconfiguration. In other examples, the eyewire or portion thereof, whichis preloaded to the partially open configuration may be formed of adifferent suitable material (e.g., a metal, a composite, or others). Thepreload (or spring bias) in the eyewire 114 may be sufficiently high toallow the eyewire 114 to spring open to a partially open configuration,in which the latch catch 126 is released (e.g., not mechanically lockedin and at least partially removed from the latch cavity). The preload(or spring bias) may be sufficiently low such upon release of the latch200, the lens 113 may remain at least partially captured in the lensopening 115 to prevent the lens 113 from falling out of the frame 110until the user further enlarges the lens opening 115 (e.g., as shown inFIG. 4B) and/or manually removes the lens 113 from the frame 110. Inexamples herein, the opening of the eyewire 114 (e.g., the enlarging ofthe gap 119 to facilitate removal and installation of a lens) may beachieved through elastic deformation of the eyewire 114, e.g., in thisexample by elastically deforming the lower eyewire 124 away from theupper eyewire 122.

As illustrated in FIG. B, once the latch catch 126 has been released,the gap 119 and correspondingly the lens opening 115 may be furtherenlarged such as by manipulating the free end of the lower eyewire 124away from the latch mechanism 200 (e.g., in the direction 103) until thelens 113 can be removed from the frame 110 and/or to enlarge the opening115 for insertion of a lens 113 therein. Once the latch catch 126 hasbeen released from the latch, the user may remove the force from thelever and thus release the latch door to close. Magnetic attractionbetween the latch door 222 and the frame magnetic portion 210 maysimplify the operation of the latch 200 in that the latch door 222 neednot be manually opened and close when re-installing or re-latching thelower eyewire 124. Once the latch door 222 has been released and allowedto return to the closed position, to re-latch the eyewire 114, the usersimply applies a squeezing force on the top and bottom of the eyewire toforce the lower eyewire 124 into the closed position.

To install a lens to the frame 110, a lens 113 may be placed in the lensopening such as aligning the lens with and inserting a perimeter portionof the lens into at least a portion of the groove(s) 116. For example,the user may align and insert the upper perimeter of the lens 113 intothe groove 116 of the upper eyewire 122, as shown in FIG. 7 . Once sopositioned, the latch catch 126 may be aligned with the opening of thelatch cavity 250 and a squeezing force Fs may be applied to the top andbottom of the eyewire 114, e.g., as shown in FIG. 7 , to cause the latchcatch 126 to move in a general upward direction 105 and be inserted intothe latch cavity 250. The squeezing force Fs may be applied by applyinga force to the top eyewire while concurrently applying a counter forceto the bottom eyewire. The force and counter force may be applied torespective portions of the upper and lower eyewire such that the forcesact through a line that passes through or is as close as possible to thelatch cavity, which may reduce the moment and thus distortion on theframe during the automatic re-latching of the closure mechanism. Theapplication of the force Fs may cause the first and second magneticportions 210 and 220 to automatically temporarily separate to allow thelatch catch 126 to be inserted into the cavity 250, the latch 200 beingconfigured to automatically close, after the latch catch 126 has beeninserted into the cavity 250, responsive to the magnetic attraction ofthe first and second magnetic portions 210 and 220. In this example, theoperation (e.g., opening and closing) of the latch door 222 isindependent of the position of the lower eyewire 124 and latch catch126, and thus closing of the latch door 222 does not necessarily resultin closing of the eyewire 114 unless the latch catch 126 is operativelypositioned within the latch cavity 250. In other words, the latch door222 is operable to close via magnetic attraction even if the latch catch126 is not engaged and the lens opening 115 is in the gappedconfiguration. The absence of the latch catch from the latch cavity doesnot prevent closing of the latch door.

To facilitate the automatic temporary opening of the latch 200 (i.e.without manually separating the magnetic portions) during re-latching ofthe eyewire 114, the magnetic latch 200 may be provided with at leastone ramp that assists with the temporary opening of the latch. The rampmay be located either on a surface of the latch cavity 250 or on thefree end of the separable eyewire (e.g., the lower eyewire 124). In theillustrated example (e.g., in FIG. 5 ), the at least one ramp isprovided on the free end of the separable eyewire, such as by shaping aleading portion of the latch catch 126 as a wedge 243. The inclinedleading surface of the wedge 243 may cooperate with the latch door 222to temporarily open the latch door 222 during insertion of the latchcatch 126 within the latch cavity 250. In other embodiments, the rampmay be located elsewhere, for example on the latch door itself and/or onthe wall of the latch cavity opposite the latch door. In embodiments inwhich the ramp is provided by the latch cavity, the free end of theseparable eyewire may be wedge shaped or it may be blunt. In someembodiments, a plurality of cooperating ramps may be used. For example,a ramp (e.g., in the form of a wedge) may be provided on the latchcatch, which cooperates with a ramp 233 on the latch door 222 (or on theopposite wall of the latch cavity) to push on the latch door 222,temporarily separating the magnetic elements 214 and 224 to allow thelatch catch 126 to slide into the cavity 250. Once the latch catch 126has been operatively inserted into the cavity 250, in this case with theprotrusion 226 of the latch door 222 received in the cooperating slot246 of the latch catch, the latch 200 automatically returns to theclosed position by the magnetic attraction of the first and secondmagnetic elements 214 and 224. In some embodiments, the incline of theleading surface of the wedge 243 may be about 45 degrees, or in therange of about 30 degrees to about 55 degrees. In some embodiments, theincline may be shallower than 30 degrees or steeper than 55 degrees aslong as there is sufficient inclination to enable the leading portion ofthe latch catch 126 to act as a wedge to separate the first and secondmagnetic portions 210 and 220 as the latch catch moves into the cavity250.

In some embodiments, the closure mechanism may be provided with a lockout feature. For example, the magnetic latch 200 may be configured suchthat a locking feature 120 operatively engages the lever 228 when thetemple 112 is in the unfolded or as-worn position to prevent pivoting ofthe latch door 222 and thus prevent separation of the first and secondmagnetic portions 210 and 220. In an example in which the latch door ispivotally coupled to the frame at the temple hinge, the locking feature120 may be provided by a lock out surface 121 of the temple (see e.g.,FIG. 3 ). Referring to the example in FIG. 8C, a portion of the lever228 (e., surface 229) may be configured to engage (e.g., abut) a portionof the temple 112 (e.g., locking surface 121), such that rotation of thelatch door 222 is prevented when the temple 112 is in the as-wornposition. In other examples, the lock out feature may be differentlyimplemented, such as by using other suitable blocking surfacespositioned differently on the temple, latch door, or other portions ofthe frame.

In some examples, the rotation of the latch door 222 may be limited, forexample by a hard stop 223. The hard stop 223 may be implemented as aprotrusion on the outward surface of the latch door knuckle 225. Theprotrusion 223 may extend radially outward from a nominal cylindricalprofile of the outward surface of the hinge knuckle 225 (indicated inbroken line in FIG. 8B) by a sufficient amount to prevent rotation ofthe latch door beyond the location of the protrusion 223. Limitingrotation of the latch door 222 to an amount, less that the fullrotational range of the temple may maintain the two magnetic portions210 and 220 is magnetic attraction range thus enabling the latch door toautomatically return to closed position by magnetic attraction ratherthan requiring manual closing of the latch door. In other words, a hardstop may be used to limit the separation of the two magnetic portions toa distance within which sufficient magnetic attraction is exertedbetween the two magnetic elements to automatically return the latch doorto the closed position upon release of the manual opening force.

For ease of manufacturability, the eyewire 114 may be formed, in someexamples, as two or more separate components that are assembled toprovide the eyewear in FIG. 1 . For example, the upper eyewire 122 andthe lower eyewire 124 may be manufactured (e.g., injection molded orlaminated) separately and the two eyewire components may be rigidlycoupled to one another to form the eyewire 114. In the present example,the upper eyewire 122 is joined to the lower eyewire 124 at the noserecess, however in other examples the eyewire portions may be joined atdifferent suitable location(s). In yet other examples, with theexception of the seam at the closure mechanism, the eyewire may besubstantially seamless (e.g., when manufactured as a single component).In the present example, the upper and lower eyewires are joined by a lapjoint 251 at the nose recess 128, which is further reinforced by tongueand groove features 254-1 and 254-2 in the direction of the lap jointand tongue and groove features 252-1 (see FIG. 8B) and 252-2 in thethickness direction of the lap joint. Any other suitable joint may beused. Additionally or alternatively, the upper and lower eyewire may bejoined by any other suitable means, such as via mechanical fasteners256, adhesives, laser welding, etc., currently known or later developed.While illustrating an example in which the upper and lower eyewires 122and 124, respectively, are formed as separate components, it will beunderstood that in normal use the upper and lower eyewires 122 and 124remain attached to one another but for the portion of the lower eyewire124, which is separable to form the gap 119. In embodiments of thepresent disclosure, the upper and lower eyewires 122 and 1254 may beintegrally formed as a single or monolithic component. The latch door222 and the temples 112, in examples in which they are pivotally coupledto the eyewire 114, may also be assembled to the eyewire 114, e.g., byaligning the temple and latch door hinge knuckles 138 and 225,respectively, to the eyewire hinge knuckle 127 and securing a pin (e.g.,a fastener) through the axially aligned openings of the hinge knuckles.In other embodiments, in which the temple and latch do not share acommon pivot axis the individual pivotal joints may be separatelyassembled.

FIGS. 9-15 show additional views including an isometric, front, rear,left, right, top and bottom views, of an eyewear according to thepresent disclosure.

All relative and directional references (including: upper, lower,upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, side,above, below, front, middle, back, vertical, horizontal, and so forth)are given by way of example to aid the reader's understanding of theparticular embodiments described herein. They should not be read to berequirements or limitations, particularly as to the position,orientation, or use unless specifically set forth in the claims or isotherwise implied by the present disclosure. Those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the presently disclosed embodiments teach by way ofexample and not by limitation. Therefore, the matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings should beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The followingclaims are intended to cover all generic and specific features describedherein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method andsystem, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:
 1. An eyewear comprising: a frame comprising aneyewire that couples a lens to the frame, the eyewire including a firsteyewire portion that extends along only a first portion of a perimeterof the lens; a second eyewire portion which extends only along a secondportion of the perimeter of the lens different from the first portion,the first and second eyewire portions together encircling the lens andcoupling the lens to the frame, and the second eyewire portion having afree end that separates from the first eyewire portion to enable removalof the lens from the frame; a temple coupled to the eyewire andpivotable between a storage position and an as-worn position; and amagnetic latch comprising a magnetic latch door pivotally coupled to theeyewire and operable, when the magnetic latch door is closed, to couplethe free end of the second eyewire portion to the first eyewire portionto provide the eyewire in a closed configuration in which the lens iscoupled to the frame, wherein the magnetic latch defines a latch cavity,wherein the second eyewire comprises a latch catch on the free end ofthe second eyewire, and wherein the latch catch is configured tointerlock with the latch door to couple the free end of the secondeyewire to the first eyewire thereby coupling the lens to the frame, themagnetic latch further comprising a ramp on one of the free end of thesecond eyewire portion or the latch door, the ramp being configured tocause the latch door to open in response to pressing the free end of thesecond eyewire portion toward the latch cavity.
 2. The eyewear of claim1, wherein the temple and the latch door are pivotally coupled to theframe at different pivot axes.
 3. The eyewear of claim 2, wherein thedifferent pivot axes include a first pivot axis associated with thelatch door pivot and a second pivot axis in a spaced parallelrelationship to the first axis and associated with the temple.
 4. Theeyewear of claim 1, wherein the temple remains attached to the frameduring opening and closing of the magnetic latch.
 5. The eyewear ofclaim 1, wherein the magnetic latch is configured to retain the lens tothe frame without penetrating the lens.
 6. The eyewear of claim 5,wherein the magnetic latch comprises a first magnetic element fixed tothe frame at a location outside of the perimeter of the lens, and asecond magnetic element fixed to the magnetic latch door, the first andsecond magnetic elements arranged to magnetically attract one another toclose the magnetic latch door.
 7. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein theramp is provided by a wedge located on a leading portion of the freeend.
 8. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the frame defines left and rightlens openings for respective left and right lenses of the eyewear, andwherein each of the left and right lens openings is associated with arespective magnetic latch.
 9. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein one of thefirst and second eyewire portions is an upper eyewire and the other oneof the first and second eyewire portions is a lower eyewire, the upperand lower eyewires together forming a full rim frame.
 10. The eyewear ofclaim 1, wherein the temple prevents the magnetic latch door fromopening when the temple is in the as-worn position.
 11. Alens-interchange method for an eyewear having a first eyewire portionand a second eyewire portion and a magnetic latch configured forlatching the second eyewire portion to the first eyewire portion, themethod comprising: folding a temple of the eyewear to expose a lever ofthe magnetic latch, the magnetic latch comprising a first magneticportion fixed to the first eyewire portion and a second magnetic portionpivotally coupled to the first magnetic portion; applying a force to thelever to open the magnetic latch for separating a free end of the secondeyewire portion from the first eyewire portion and removing the lens;releasing the force on the lever to allow magnetic attraction to returnthe first and second magnetic portions to the closed position therebyclosing the magnetic latch; and simultaneously applying a force and acounterforce to the first eyewire portion and the second eyewireportion, respectively, to re-engage the free end of the second eyewireportion with the latch door thereby re-latching the eyewire withoutmanually opening the magnetic latch.
 12. The method of claim 11 furthercomprising locking the magnetic latch from opening by pivoting thetemple to an as-worn position.
 13. An eyewear comprising: a framecomprising a first eyewire portion and a second eyewire portion coupledto the first eyewire portion such that the first and second eyewireportions together define a lens opening configured to encircle a lens tocouple the lens to the frame, the second eyewire portion having a freeend that separates from the first eyewire portion to enable enlargementof the lens opening and thereby removal of the lens from the first andsecond eyewire portions while the second eyewire portion remainsattached to the first eyewire portion; a temple coupled to the eyewireand pivotable between a storage position and an as-worn position; and amagnetic latch comprising a magnetic latch door pivotally coupled to theframe and operable, when the magnetic latch door is closed, to couplethe free end of the second eyewire portion to the first eyewire portionto provide the frame in a closed configuration in which the lens iscoupled to the frame.
 14. The eyewear of claim 13, wherein the templeprevents the magnetic latch door from opening when the temple is in theas-worn position.
 15. The eyewear of claim 13, wherein the temple andthe latch door are pivotable about different pivot axes.
 16. The eyewearof claim 13, wherein the magnetic latch defines a latch cavity, whereinthe second eyewire comprises a latch catch on the free end of the secondeyewire, and wherein the latch catch is configured to interlock with thelatch door to close the frame when the latch catch is positioned in thelatch cavity and the latch door is closed.
 17. The eyewear of claim 16,further comprising at least one ramp on a surface of the free end of thesecond eyewire portion, the latch door, or both, wherein the ramp isconfigured to cause the latch door to open in response to pressing thefree end of the second eyewire toward the latch cavity.
 18. The eyewearof claim 13, wherein the frame defines left and right lens openings forrespective left and right lenses of the eyewear, and wherein each of theleft and right lens openings is associated with a respective magneticlatch.
 19. The eyewear of claim 13, wherein the first eyewire portionextends only along a first portion of a perimeter of the lens and thesecond eyewire portion extends only along a second portion of theperimeter of the lens when the lens is coupled to the frame.
 20. Theeyewear of claim 19, wherein the first eyewire portion is an uppereyewire portion and the second eyewire portion is a lower eyewireportion.